


Giving

by lanwut



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-19
Updated: 2012-10-19
Packaged: 2017-11-16 14:47:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/540619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lanwut/pseuds/lanwut
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sentimental Dragonborn Dark Elf gives her housecarl a gift.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Giving

It had taken her months of learning to get to a point where she could do this, and maybe it would have been easier to simply buy the set of armour for Lydia, but it wouldn't have been the same. There was a certain sentiment Nadezhda wanted to express to her loyal housecarl, and that she was worth spending gold on wasn't it. What she did want to express was respect and admiration for her unwavering faith in her, even when Nadezhda did things that would bring doubt to any weaker person's heart and mind. She wanted to... not reward her for it, no, that was just insulting, but thank her for it.

The Dragonborn edged her way into the house, employing her incredible ability to sneak undetected in order to bring the new set of armour and weapons into Breezehome without Lydia coming to investigate. She arranged the armour on a stand and stood the new battleaxe next to it, its hilt resting against the edge of the new armour. Then, the slender Dunmer went to the stairs and started climbing. She didn't make it even halfway before Lydia appeared at the top. She should have known her housecarl would hear her coming up. Lydia hadn't stayed alive through all the two of them had been through with dull senses and luck.

“My Thane?” her housecarl's now very familiar voice asked.

“I have something to show you.” She was nervous, which was a very unfamiliar feeling for her. It was something she hadn't felt in a very long time, not since she was much younger. Not since she had been taught the very fundamentals of the skills she now possessed. She wrung her hands together as Lydia gave her a questioning look.

“As you wish, my Thane,” she acquiesced, starting down the steps towards her. Nadezhda led her down into the sitting room where the fire was roaring, glinting and reflecting off of the polished metal of what would be Lydia's new armour.

As they stepped into the room, Nadezhda could see Lydia's face as she saw the ebony armour sitting on the stand, and saw her housecarl's eyes widen and her mouth drop open.. She was a professional, collected woman, though, and reigned her reaction in quickly. Preparing for disappointment? For her mage Thane to reveal that the heavy armour was in for herself? Maybe it was a survival tactic Lydia had developed. Nadezhda didn't actually know how her housecarl had grown up, and if she really put some thought into it she would realise that she didn't know much about her housecarl at all.

“That's a fine set of armour, my Thane,” Lydia commented with the kind of forced blandness one might hear most often in, say, Windhelm when someone enterprising person mentioned the living conditions of the Dunmer and Argonians. But they weren't talking about the race issues entrenched in Windhelm's culture, so Nadezhda looked at her and smiled.

“I crafted it for you. I thought it was high time you get a new set of armour. I noticed yours has seen some wear and needs repair and honing, and, well, I just wanted to give you something to say thank you for all you've done for me. I know you swore an oath saying that you would protect me with your life and stick with me through thick and thin, but still.” Long winded and rambly; not the speech she had wanted to give to her housecarl. In her head it had been a beautifully poignant speech involving some sort of complicated metaphor.

“Truly? For me?” Lydia asked slowly, disbelievingly. With great hesitance, she reached out to stroke the armour and upon touching it drew her hand back like it had been burnt. Maybe it had been. Maybe she had completely botched the enchanting job she had done on the armour. Enchanted to burn those she struck, which was a nice accompaniment to her own magical ability.

“It's enchanted? You've put a lot of time into this... I fear I'm not worthy of such a gift,” she said, bowing her head slightly. So humble, which was a nice trait to have when one was so skilled. Nadezhda had no need to listen to someone boasting about their prowess when they were going to be in each others' presence twenty four hours a day.

“That's ridiculous, Lydia. You deserve this more than anyone I know.”

She touched the armour again, this time with more confidence, and gave the Dragonborn a look that said everything.

“I'll put it to good use, my Thane,” Lydia said with a fierce smile.


End file.
